We are looking at excerpt form Solaris (1972) by Andrei Trakovsky. The film has been based on the novel with the same title written by Stanislaw Lem and published in Warsaw in1961.

The scene consist mainly of Kris Kelvin ”irrational” monologue and his painful meditation. The whole sequence is assembled of three shots and is dominated by still shot of Solaris Ocean, after which our main character is led towards the light.

Argument

‘All my protagonist are united by single passion – for overcoming. No knowledge of life can be won without a colossal expenditure of spiritual power. There may be grave losses on this path, but all the more profound and rich will be the achievements. In order to become conscious of what is best for oneself and one’s environment, what comprise the beauty and inner truth of our existence, our being (and not our mere subsistence [bytowanie]), in order to remain true to oneself and one’s duty to others, all my protagonists must pass through a tens sphere of meditation, searching and achievement.’ Bird, R. (2008), Andrei Tarkovsky: Elements of Cinema, Reaktion Books Ltd, chapter Imaginary, p. 132

Counter-argument

‘Communication with Solaris-Thing [...] fails not because Solaris is too alien, the harbinger of an intellect infinitely surpassing our limited abilities, playing some perverse games with us whose rationale remains forever outside our grasp, but because it brings us too close to what in ourselves must remain at distance if we are to sustain the consistency of our symbolic universe.’ Bird, R. (2008), Andrei Tarkovsky: Elements of Cinema, Reaktion Books Ltd, chapter Story, p 116

Conclusion

Has the communication really failed? Should we turn around and go back if we do not find what we expected on our ”trip” towards unknown? As the price sometimes may seems to high, is it okay for us just to give up and sleep within the dream?

I think how the process might be painfully we desert to know the truth.

Solaris (1972) is a great example of creative possibilities that can be realized even in the most unfriendly conditions. Tarkovsky was a truly humanistic mind that manage to write part in history of the cinema with as little as seven future films.

I will go on exploring Tarkovsky’s world and all the references that it brings.

http://www.filmref.com/directors/dirpages/tarkovsky.html#solaris

http://www.filmsite.org/sci-fifilms.html

http://www.mondo-digital.com/solaris.htm

http://www.longpauses.com/blog/2000_02_01_longpauses_archive.html

http://www.sibetrans.com/trans/trans10/tarkovsky.htm

http://www.ucalgary.edu/~tstronds/nostalghia.com/TheTopics/On_Solaris_2.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Tarkovsky

Literary sources:

Bird, R. (2008), Andrei Tarkovsky: Elements of Cinema, Reaktion Books Ltd

Green, P. (1993) Andrei Tarkovsky: The Winding Quest, The McMillan Press Ltd

Johnson, P. (2006), Through the Mirror: Reflections on the Films of Andrei Tarkovsky, edited by Johnsson, G. and Ottarsson, T., Cambridge Scholar Press, chapter Subjectivity and Sociality in the Films of Andrei Trakovsky

Martin, S., (2006) Trough the Mirror: Reflections on the films of Andrei , edited by Johnson, G. and Ottarsson, T, Cambridge Scholars Press, chapter Film Theories: Live in the House and the House will Stand: The Role of Autobiography and Lived Experience in Tarkovsky’s Films and Asthetics

McSweeney, T. (2006), Through the Mirror: Reflections on the Films of Andrei Tarkovsky, edited by Jonhsson, G. and Otarsson, T., Cambridge Scholars Press, chapter Sculpting the Time Image: An exploration of Tarkovsky’s Film Theory from Deluzian Perspective

Tarkovsky, A. (1994), Time within Time: The Diaries 1907 -1986, translated by Kitty Hunter-Blair, Faber and Faber Limited

Vulgata, Ecclesiastes 1, 2-9

Films

Tarkovsky, A. (1972), Solaris

To be frank I got quite frustrated on the beginning, because I did not completely understand the idea of this assignment and I could not access subject resources. Blackboard blog example was a great help. It definitely helped me to start of.
After I decided to work on excerpt from Solaris (1972) by Andrei Tarkovsky I was still ”in the darkness” as I had no information about this director what so ever neither I have seen any of his films.
First I started to research all the basics: director’s biography, Solaris itself and film techniques just to have an idea what I should look out for. This research was mainly web based as due to technical problems mention above and my late decision on the subject, all point-start resources were drawn out from University library.

Week two…………….

After trying my local library witch out any satisfying result I have learned that I am allowed to benefit for other University library’s. It may sound silly but I did not realise that. This fact brought major change to my research as luckily I live in Goldsmith University neighbourhood. As soon as went there, I was stuck by the fact how much has been written about Tarkovsky, his theories, cinematic, philosophy. I was completely overwhelm by the amount of informations on the subject as well as complexity of it and Tarkovsky’s art. I had to create the mind map which turn out to be great idea.

Week three…………..

At this time I had gone trough quite a lot of material (my living room is flooded with papers) and I still did not got around it. It is dissatisfying as I feel I have less and less time and I want to prepare this blog as best as I can. I feel that I am slow which frustrate me even more… There was (and is!) so many interesting facts and subjects that I wanted to explore but unfortunately not enough time. I had to narrow my search and focus on few major themes.
I feel I can work best at home, where I can relax and let my thoughts float. The best time is morning or day time, when I can work with natural light, it seems like it energizes me.
Photocopying turn out to be very useful as I can highlight parts and quotes of my interest and make little notes on the margin. I have been brought up in the books surrounding and I like to treat them with respect.

Week four…………

Finally all the informations I have absorbed are slowly falling in to places. I am going back to my sources to get clearer view on the informations and to be able to transform them freely. There is still a lot I have to learn, so many possibilities to explore! But the clock is ticking and I am reviewing my posts trying to improve them.
I realize that I work the best on the subject after gathering and assimilation of information that consider the subject. Without this knowledge I do not feel I have power to speak about it, I have no confidence. I found as well that my vocabulary is to limiting and I have to enrich it so I can avoid unwanted repetitions.
I am very happy I have gone through this process as I have learn a lot and most of all I have been introduced to Tarkovsky’s world. I will definitely have to fined a time to come back to certain positions and I am sure they will find a place in my own library.

In Sculpting the Time (1986), he gives an example of ten minute film by Pascal Aubier that consist only one shot: it begins with a landscape and then the camera closes in/zooms in slowly to revile man on the hill that appears to be asleep, another bigger close up and we learn that the man is dead.
‘ You will remember that the film has no editing, no acting and no décor. But the rhythm of the movement of time is there within the frame, as the sole organising force of the – quite complex – dramatic development.’ Tarkovsky, A. (1986), Sculpting in Time: Reflections on the Cinema, translated from the Russian by Kitty Hunter-Blair, The Bodley Head Ltd., p. 114
The Time and the Rhythm we can see both of them polished to the perfection in Trakovsky film art.

On 18 February 1971 Tarkovsky notes in his diaries:  ‘ The supreme idea of socialism is machinery. It turns a person into a mechanical person. There are rules for everything. And so man is taken form himself. His living soul is removed. It is understandable that one may be calm in such Easter quietism, and these gentlemen say they are progressive! My God! If that is progress, then what is Eastern quietism! ‘
and then,
‘ <Socialism is despair at the impossibility of ever being able to organize man. It organizes tyranny for him and says that is freedom itself! >  about Svidrigailov, Dostoevsky’s notebooks, about Crime and Punishment, p. 556.
I’m very strongly affected by diaries and archives and , ”laboratories” of every kind. They’re wonderful catalyst.’
Tarkovsky, A. (1994), Time within Time: The Diaries 1907 -1986, translated by Kitty Hunter-Blair, Faber and Faber Limited, p. 36
Tarkovsky was without doubt influenced by Dostoevsky and not only. He had plenty of his own experiences from Soviet Russia, his motherland and socialist oppressive system. It is not difficult to see critical notes in Tarkovsky’s films as his own life and carrier were deeply affected by its dogma’s.
We could read ‘ Solaris as a metaphoric device capable of illuminating the relationship between individuals and societies. [...] It portrays which affect the human senses but stress that it is the power of our own senses that we must be most afraid. It is not therefore the surface of the planet which is most to be mistrusted [...] but our own consciousness which is formed in relation to it.’
Johnson, P. (2006), Through the Mirror: Reflections on the Films of Andrei Tarkovsky, edited by Johnsson, G. and Ottarsson, T., Cambridge Scholar Press, chapter Subjectivity and Sociality in the Films of Andrei Trakovsky, p. 71
This metaphor could be related to any system, society that is suppressing individual trough manipulation of their social environment, creating network of expectations and prohibition reaching deep inside his mind and soul.
Tarkovsky as we already know was a child of Stalinist era and Second World War and as his life happened to finish early, he did not get the chance to benefit form changes that brought year 1986 and following period of Gorbachev election to Congress of People’s Deputies. Tarkovsky as we already know was a child of Stalinist era and Second World War and as his life happened to finish early, he did not get the chance to benefit form changes that brought year 1986 and following period of Gorbachev election to Congress of People’s Deputies.
‘ The year of Tarkovsky’s death marked a turning point in Soviet cinema. In May 1986 the executive committee of the Soviet film federation was voted out of office and replaced by new representatives under the leadership of Emil Klimov. Feodor Yermash, tha chairman of Goskino who had repeatedly obstructed Tarkovsky’s career, was removed from his post shortly before the director’s death. The new political climate in the Soviet Union resulted in the release of large number of films that had been kept on the shelves for years. [...] In 1988 the first festival of independent film was held in Riga.’ Green, P. (1993) Andrei Tarkovsky: The Winding Quest, The McMillan Press Ltd, p. 137

Q: What kind or reference to Russian literature we can find in Tarkovsky’s art? Why did he identify with it     so much?

What lead to Tarkovsky’s trouble with Committee and why?

Solaris (1972) was shot in wide-screen format and was first full-length Tarkovsky’s colour film. He used this framework ‘ to dramatize the nature of cinematic representation [...]. Some of his changes to the narrative were enforced by the sheer nature of the cinema. [...] Some changes are typical of cinematic adaptations in the way they convert meta-textual references into meta-visual ones, which suspend the narrative in reflections on the medium. ‘ Bird, R. (2008), Andrei Tarkovsky: Elements of Cinema, Reaktion Books Ltd., p. 118
It is most amusing how Tarkovsky shifts between colour and black-and-white, creating film within the film and intersperse reality with the dream. In the sequence with Berton’s film we can find clear reference to Tarkovsky’s own film-making technique. Slow and long shots that do not dictate one interpretation but let the spectator use his own imagination and to identify with the picture. Here we could mention, Tarkovski’s fascination with time, time and memory and complex correlation between the two. As his book’s title suggest he felt himself as a sculptor that shifts between panels of time and creates new meanings and images. He is as well preoccupied with ubiquitous motive of ”vanitas” that is inseparable connected with the motive of time. ”Vanitas” draws its ”beginning” from the Vulgate and treats about passing and vanity: ‘ Vanity and vanities, says Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. [Vanitas vanitatum et omnia vanitas – the famous Latin quote] What does the man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains for ever. [...] All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.’ Holly Bible, Ecclesiastes 1, 2-9. This could be a clear reference to Trakovsky’s religious themes which I did not yet have chance to explore. There seems to be more leads going back to the Bible ‘A preoccupation with the Apocalypse can be traced throughout his work, form the Durer engravings of Ivan’s Childhood to the dark visions of The Sacrifice. Indeed, many passages of Revelation might have served as scenario for Tarkovsky films.’ Green, P. (1993) Andrei Tarkovsky: The Winding Quest, The McMillan Press Ltd, p. 6

Q: In which Trakovsky’s films can we find religious themes?  What was Tarkovsky’s approach to faith and God?

The often appearing motive of ”mirror” could be as well connected to ”vanitas” but I think it applies more to Tarkovsky’s intention and encouragement for the spectator, that if he is willing to he can ”see” himself in Tarkovsky’s films like in the ”mirror”.
Tarkovsky used many reference to literature, mainly Russian, paintings and music. There is Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and Pushkin [his death mask visible in the shot of library] and Don Quixote by Cervantes. ‘Tarkovsky has Snout repeat the arguments of Viacheslav Ivanov’s famous essay Ancient Terror concerning the historical transition from Greek paganism to Christina monotheism: , he says, [...] The point of pursuing such a literary citations or parallels is not to ennoble the profane cinema with literary authority, but to activate another level of images in Kelvin and in the spectator, what might be called their imaginary, the investigation of which, Tarkovsky suggest, is the particular province of the cinema. ‘ Bird, R. (2008), Andrei Tarkovsky: Elements of Cinema, Reaktion Books Ltd., p. 121
As an art student he must have been well equipped with appropriate knowledge which possibly gave the beginning of his fascination with paintings and mainly Renaissance. There is many examples in Solaris that I could refer to:

• The image of the mother with a little dog in her hands, that appears in the film from Kris childhood corresponds to Lady with an Ermine (1489–1490) by Leonardo da Vinci.

• Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s landscape, The Hunters in the Snow (1565), which appears few times, mainly in the library sequence.

• Marc Chagall’s Au Dessus de la Ville (1924) could be the inspiration for the moment of weightlessness when Kris is holding Hari. There is another reference to a different Chagall’s painting, but not same as clear as the one before. I mean here the motive of candle light that can be found on the painting, called simply Three candles (1938-40).

• And the last one, and probably the most significant The Return of Prodigal Son (1669) by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, which occurs in the closing scene of Solaris, when Kris ”finds his way home” and throws himself on his knees in the front of his father.

Apart from visual references we can observe in Solaris (1972) interesting use of music. Trakovsky employs Bach whose music appears four times within the film at its most significant moments. Moreover he mixes it with natural sounds of surroundings and electronic music generated by ANS synthesizer. The composer and musician behind Solaris soundtrack was Eduard Artemiev. He was the one to convince Tarkovsky on use of electronic music within the project, as he wanted as minimum music as possible or even non at some points in the film.

‘Even with Solaris, the only film I’ve ever done in which electronic music was the basis for the entire soundtrack, the main task Tarkovsky set for me was to create an emotional field for the images.’ Artemiev, E. and Viraldiev, Anneliese Viraldiev: Russian composer Edward Artemiev.
The use of electronic music seems completely natural, as Solaris (1972) was a project situated within science-fiction gender. But Trakovsky’s the main task for the music was to underline and integrate the images. That’s why it is blended with all kinds of background noises and sometimes go to such a low that without purpose concentration we would not register it. ‘ What is perhaps even most interesting in Solaris (1972) is where there is no music. ‘ McSweeney, T. (2006), Through the Mirror: Reflections on the Films of Andrei Tarkovsky, edited by Jonhsson, G. and Otarsson, T., Cambridge Scholars Press, chapter Sculpting the Time Image: An exploration of Tarkovsky’s Film Theory from Deluzian Perspective, p. 109
I have not quite yet understand, why Tarkovsky left some parts of the film with no music. That could become another point in my research at the later stage.
Q: What could be the purpose of lack of music within the cinematic picture?
What is the final result for use of so many different references?

Science-fiction gender characteristics – This quotation should illustratebasic differences between typical science-fiction film and Solaris.

‘Science Fiction Films are usually scientific, visionary, comic-strip-like, and imaginative, and usually visualized through fanciful, imaginative settings, expert film production design, advanced technology gadgets (i.e., robots and

spaceships), scientific developments, or by fantastic special effects. Science-fiction films are complete with heroes, distant planets, impossible quests, improbable settings, fantastic places, great dark and shadowy villains, futuristic technology and gizmo’s, and unknown and inexplicable forces. Many other SF films feature time travels or fantastic journeys, and are set either on Earth, into outer space, or (most often) into the future time. Quite a few examples of science-fiction cinema owe their origins to writers Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. ‘ Dirks, T. (2009), Science Fiction Films, American Movie Classics Company LLC, http://www.filmsite.org/sci-fifilms.html [accessed 8 November 2009]

Tarkovsky by his nature was more concerned with singularity of life experience, phenomena of human memories and consciousness. He explored those aspects in a confrontation with the Unknown and Alien (”alien” in border understanding, not ”fantastic alien”…). In

order to achieve focus on those subjects he felt that he had to minimize all the obstructive technology, futuristic gadgets and fantastic scenery. He turned his lens toward Earth, as there all

human stories began and all our trouble, he kept focus on it even at the space station [fresh flowers, paper strips on the ventilators imitating leaves rustle]. However, he still paid tribute to technology and progress as it is inseparable from evolution of our moral process.

‘ By the middle of 1971 Tarkovsky was complaining of disputes with his director of photography Vadim Yusow. Initially, these were over the choice of lenses for the film. Tarkovsky wished to reduce the depth of field in order to eliminate some of the obtrusive details of the science fiction décor. [...] Tarkovsky also recorded his fears of excessive colour in the film and his reservations about too many corridors, too much apparatus and technology.’ Green, P. (1993) Andrei Tarkovsky: The Winding Quest, The McMillan Press Ltd, pp. 63-64

Q: Did he manage to achieve desired effect? What kind of techniques and tools did he used?

I think Tarkovsky, was not so much concerned about the gender itself but he was afraid that all the costumes and gadgets, set-design and visual effect will shift spectators focus and most of all will get outdated, we have to remember as well that there was lots of trouble involved in making Solaris including budget cuts. We could classify Solaris as science-fiction film but with higher agenda, visually poetic and hypnotic. Tarkovsky’s work is often compared with 2001: Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick, made in 1968 and even if both subjects could be co-related (where the gigantic computer rules over human fate..), 2001: Space Odyssey (1968) seems everything  what Trakovsky tried to avoid, to his disappointment not completely.